The Leprosy Mission, England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
NOTES FOR GROUP OR PERSONAL STUDY FROM THE LEPROSY MISSION
Transformation - personal
All quotations from NIV translation unless specified
Introduction
Key verse:
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2
Consider how God desires to transform us (and others) from where we are to what we can and should
become.
We’ll look at God’s ‘Top Ten’ in personal transformation. These are not in any kind of order of priority and
you might like to choose particular ones to discuss. There is there is no need to tackle them all!
From sin to forgiveness
‘Sin’ is a very big concept in the Bible to describe our human condition. We ‘fall short’ of what we should
be (the Greek word hamartia comes from archery where an arrow falls short of the target). Sin is also
depicted as a power over which we have no or little control. Jesus came to save us from sin. Matthew
1:21
Activity Read the following Bible verses (if you have a Bible you might want to read the passage where
the verses occur to get the context).
‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ Romans 3:23
‘For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.’
Romans 7:19
‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through
Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.’ Romans 8:1-2
Consider the following:
How would you define sin? What is it exactly?
What damage does ‘sin’ do to us and to the world? Why is it damaging?
Do we feel forgiven? or constantly oppressed? (The apostle Paul describes his own struggle in
Romans chapter 7.) How can we achieve a healthy Christian attitude towards our failures?
Will we ever be free from sin in this life? If not, how should we regard sin and our struggle against
it?
Page 1 of 4
Written by Martin Davies
Goldhay Way, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough PE2 5GZ tel 01733 370505,
email [email protected] www.leprosymission.org.uk
Registered charity no. 1050327 A company limited by guarantee registered in England no. 3140347
The Leprosy Mission, England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
NOTES FOR GROUP OR PERSONAL STUDY FROM THE LEPROSY MISSION
Transformation - personal
All quotations from NIV translation unless specified
From oppression to liberation
It’s interesting to consider that in the situation where Israel was in bondage (slavery) in Egypt, sin was not
the problem. The Israelites needed liberation, not forgiveness.
Activity Read the following verses from Exodus (again, you might like to consult your Bible if you have
one, to get the context).
‘The Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out
because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to
rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and
spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ Exodus 3:7-8
Consider:
What oppresses us today?
What do we need liberating from in this addictive and consumerist society? How can we be more
free?
What oppresses others in the world? What do they need liberating from? What could we do to
help them?
What do we need to be free for rather than free from?
From exile to return
In the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people, sin played a part (some Biblical texts proclaim that the exile
happened because of sin, 2 Chronicles 36:15-20 for example). This is different from the situation in Egypt –
in Babylon the people were forcibly removed from their land, and they needed a way to return home. This
happened when Persia came to power in 539 BC.
Activity Read the following (in your Bible if you prefer)
‘The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown
their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.’
Isaiah 51:11
Reading Luke 15:11-32 might also be useful.
Questions:
What can “exile” mean for us today?
How can we end up in the “wrong place”?
Where is “home” for us, and what does it mean for us to return? How can we make that homeward
journey?
How does the world’s refugee situation relate to this?
Page 2 of 4
Written by Martin Davies
Goldhay Way, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough PE2 5GZ tel 01733 370505,
email [email protected] www.leprosymission.org.uk
Registered charity no. 1050327 A company limited by guarantee registered in England no. 3140347
The Leprosy Mission, England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
NOTES FOR GROUP OR PERSONAL STUDY FROM THE LEPROSY MISSION
Transformation - personal
All quotations from NIV translation unless specified
From infirmity to wholeness
If we are sick, infirm or wounded, we need healing and wholeness. Among the benefits bestowed by the
‘suffering servant’ of Isaiah 52:13-53 (which is understood to find its fulfilment in Jesus) is the promise
that ‘by his wounds we are healed’ Isaiah 53:5d
Activity Think about this for a moment: The hymn writer Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) composed such
hymns as ‘Blessed Assurance’ and ‘To God be the glory’. She became blind as an infant but never
complained; in fact, at the age of eight she composed these words:
Oh, what a happy soul I am, although I cannot see;
I am resolved that in this world contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy that other people don’t;
To weep and sigh because I’m blind, I cannot and I won’t!
Read this verse from Mark: ‘For he (Jesus) had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing
forward to touch him.’ Mark 3:10
Consider the following:
What is the Christian way to respond to difficult circumstances?
Does God “heal” today? If so, how?
Might “wholeness” be different from the health we desire?
Is death the ultimate “healing”?
From fear to faith
Fear seems to be a characteristic of life in the third millennium. There is a fear of terrorism (since 9/11),
we might fear becoming poor in a climate of recession, we can fear losing our health or our memory, or
we might be fearful of ‘global warming’, particularly for our children’s children.
The phrase ‘Do not be afraid’ occurs 365 times in the Bible, one for each day of the year – although, of
course, 2012 is a leap year!
Activity Read the following verses that all contain the phrase ‘Do not be afraid’ Luke 1:13 – the angel’s words to Zechariah
Luke 1:30 – the angel’s words to Mary
Luke 2:10 – the angel’s words to the shepherds
Matthew 28:5 – the angel’s words to the women at the empty tomb
Matthew 28:10 – Jesus’ words to the women at the empty tomb
Page 3 of 4
Written by Martin Davies
Goldhay Way, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough PE2 5GZ tel 01733 370505,
email [email protected] www.leprosymission.org.uk
Registered charity no. 1050327 A company limited by guarantee registered in England no. 3140347
The Leprosy Mission, England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
NOTES FOR GROUP OR PERSONAL STUDY FROM THE LEPROSY MISSION
Transformation - personal
All quotations from NIV translation unless specified
And read these great verses from Matthew’s Gospel –
Matthew 6:25,33 – ‘Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body,
what you will wear’ … ‘but seek first his (God’s) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well.’
Consider:
What do we fear or worry about?
What might the answer be in each case?
How can faith (trust) in God make a difference?
Page 4 of 4
Written by Martin Davies
Goldhay Way, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough PE2 5GZ tel 01733 370505,
email [email protected] www.leprosymission.org.uk
Registered charity no. 1050327 A company limited by guarantee registered in England no. 3140347